How life has changed in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole's population increased by about 32,300 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population reached nearly 380,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole increased by 9.3%, from almost 347,000 to 379,000.

The addition of about 32,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole was home to, on average, 17 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the South West

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

Average age stable in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Latest census data also show that the median age of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole remained 41 years in the decade to 2011.

This area had a slightly lower average age than the South West and remained slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of about 10,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 70 and 79 years decreased by almost 2,000.

About 14.0% of people in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole that rented privately increased from 12.8% to 22.3% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in nine (11.5%) households lived in social housing, compared with 10.9% in 2001. The percentage of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole households that owned their home decreased from 73.9% to 64.4%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased faster here than the figure for the whole of the South West (from 11.1% in 2001 to 17.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 16.9%.

Private renting in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole increased by 9.5 percentage points

Percentage of households in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, the South West and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

The percentage of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 7.1% to 6.9% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 30 (3.6%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 3.0% in 2001. The percentage of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 89.6%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 7.0% in 2001 to 7.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the South West

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole saw the South West's second-largest fall in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad.

In 2011, just under 1 in 18 (5.5%) in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole said their health was bad or very bad, compared with 9.3% in 2001. The percentage that perceived their health as good or very good increased from 67.0% to 80.7%.

Across the region, only Cornwall saw a greater fall in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad (from 10.3% to 6.3%).

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

Every local authority area across the South West saw a fall in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad, as the regional average fell from 8.5% to 5.1%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole decreased by 3.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, the South West and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole working less than 16 hours increased from 2.2% to 3.6% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 1 in 10 (9.6%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 13.1% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 2.1% in 2001 to 3.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole increased by 1.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, the South West and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole was among those who said they had no religion, rising 13.7 points.

In 2011, 31.8% of respondents in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 18.1% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the South West, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion and described themselves as having no religion increased from 18.5% to 32.2%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, 64.7% said they were Christian, compared with 79.6% in 2001. About 1.3% said they were Muslim, compared with 0.7% a decade prior.

In Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, 7.7% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 7.9% in 2001. Across the South West, 7.9% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as differing patterns of ageing or of moving to or from an area for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population that said they had no religion in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole increased by 14 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, South West and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

The percentage of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole at a faster rate than in New Forest (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole).

In Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, the proportion of single people increased from 28.6% in 2001 to 34.5% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby New Forest increased from 21.5% to 24.5%.

Across the South West, the share of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased from 27.1% to 31.4%.

The proportion of married people in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole fell from 50.0% to 44.8%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 11.6% to 12.8%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was higher than across the South West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

In 2011, 2.9% of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from 0.9% in 2001. The 2.0 percentage point change was the largest increase among ethnic groups in this area.

Across the South West, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 1.0% to 2.0%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 94.2% of people in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 97.6% in 2001. About 1.8% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 0.9% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.3% to 0.6%.

There are many factors that can cause changes to the ethnic profile of an area, such as differing patterns of ageing or of moving to or from an area for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole increased by 2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing work life

The percentage of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole residents that were studying increased from 3.1% to 4.1% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over one in two (51.9%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 50.7% in 2001. The percentage of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole residents that were unemployed increased from 2.6% to 3.5%.

The proportion of students increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 2.6% in 2001 to 3.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.6% to 3.5%.

The percentage of students was higher than across the South West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were in education across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole with children decreased from 24.5% to 24.2% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under 7 in 10 (67.8%) households had no children, compared with 67.5% in 2001. The percentage of households in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole with only adult children living with their parents remained close to 8.0%.

The proportion of households with children fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 27.8% in 2001 to 26.9% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 29.5% to 29.2%.

The proportion of households with children was lower than across the South West

Percentage of households with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 2.0% to 2.3% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.0%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 2.0% in 2001 to 2.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole remained close to 2.3%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing household dynamics

The percentage of households in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, which comprised a single parent, increased from 8.4% to 8.6% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (29.3%) households had a married couple, compared with 31.9% in 2001. While the percentage of households in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 7.9% to 9.7%.

The proportion of single-parent households increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 8.1% in 2001 to 9.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.5% to 10.7%.

The percentage of households with a single-parent was lower than across the South West

Percentage of households that had a single parent across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

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